This is one of my favourite images. After years of seeking out an opportunity to document a pine marten in the wild, I finally achieved my goal on Valentine’s Day, 2015. The record cold (minus 45) kept most people away from Algonquin, meaning our marten encounter was a private one, a gift in and of itself. This curious mustelid didn’t just give us a brief appearance, but lingered for over a half hour, posing in the freshly fallen snow, as it alternated between searching for food and studying the two people lying in a snow bank. It was also the moment my grandfather passed away and this marten – whom I’ve named Gordon, after my papa – brought me peace in a moment of incredible sadness. Every time I look at this image, which hangs on our wall, it reminds me of the wonderful times I shared with my grandfather, as well as the gifts nature provides us with when we take the time to be in the wild.